Nelson urged to block Sotomayor

The leader of an anti-abortion group went to Sen. Ben Nelson's front door Tuesday to deliver a message: Stop Sonia Sotomayor from becoming a U.S. Supreme Court justice.

Randall Terry, founder of Operation Rescue, held a press conference outside Nelson's Omaha office, urging the Democrat to support a filibuster of Sotomayor's confirmation vote. In order to break a filibuster, Sotomayor supporters would need 60 votes.

“You can't say ‘I want to overturn Roe' and then vote to confirm someone who wants to uphold Roe,” Terry said, referring to Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court case that legalized abortion.

A spokesman for Nelson, a Democrat, issued a statement saying he is “strongly pro-life, has an impeccable record opposing abortion and appreciates the support of major pro-life organizations in Nebraska and nationally.”

The statement also said he believes that Sotomayor “understands the importance of faithfully upholding the Constitution and of not making law from the bench.”

Nelson said he decides how he will vote on judicial nominees only after their confirmation hearings and after their entire record is reviewed.

During her time as a judge, Sotomayer has not ruled on the issue of a woman's right to an abortion and has not said whether she would uphold the Roe v. Wade ruling.

Terry also scheduled a press conference outside Nelson's office in Lincoln. Terry plans to travel to Missouri and Pennsylvania to try to put pressure on senators from those states, as well.

He said he is singling out senators who have said they are pro-life but haven't done enough, in Terry's view, to work to make abortion illegal.

Confirmation hearings for Sotomayor are scheduled to start Monday. She is President Barack Obama's choice to replace retired Justice David Souter. If confirmed by the Senate, she would be the first Hispanic member of the court.

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